Linoleic Acid Requirement of the Chick

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The linoleic acid requirement of young male chicks was determined during 4- to 6-week periods on the basis of growth response and also the triene-to-tetraene ratio of fatty acids in liver and erythrocytes. Dietary fat levels in different experiments ranged from 3 to 8% and the dietary content of linoleic acid varied from 0.18 to 4.3% of calories. Maximal body weight was obtained with 0.9 to 1.1% of calories as linoleic acid, and these supplements also resulted in triene-to-tetraene ratios of 0.4 or less in liver. In erythrocytes, 1.3 to 1.8% of dietary calories as linoleic acid were required to produce triene-to-tetraene ratios of 0.4. The latter criterion indicates a maximal linoleic acid requirement under the conditions of these experiments of 1.8% of calories, whereas the criteria of growth and liver triene-to-tetraene ratio gave a requirement of 1%.